Process for the manufacture of substances having a decorative effect



Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JEAN PAIssEAU, or rams, FRANCE PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUBSTANCES HAVING A DECORATIVE EFFECT 1% Drawing, Application filed. May 19, 1927, Serial No. 192,807, and in France June 19, 1926.

The process, the subject matter of the present invention, relates to the manufacture of substances having a decorative effect which is due to their mammilated, fleecy, blistered,

5 or like aspect, and such substances may be.

employed after they have been cut into thin sheets. The said, sheets may be advantageously placed upon a black or coloured backing such as a plastic substance, paper, leather or the like.

The said process is based upon the fact which I have observed, namely, that when employing a plastic mass containing solid particles in suspension which have preferably a fiat or elongated form, such as pearl essence. small crystals or thelike, if a gas bubble is formed and spreads out, and is then flattened by external pressure and re-absorption of the gas or vapour by which it was produced, the plastic mass will preserve the form of this bubble'by reason of a'permanent change in the distribution of the particles in the substance. This result will be the more marked and more decorative according as the solid particles are more brilliant or reflect thelight better. It may vary according as the bubbles are more or less numerous, more or less close together or united, and for like reasons.

This formation of bubbles in a systematic manner may be obtained byditferent methods; in the simplest method I employ a plastic mass such as acetate of cellulose, celluloid or the like, in which pearl essence for instance has been uniformly incorporated, and

I submit this plastic mass in a gradual manner to a temperature above the boiling pointof one of the solvents contained in the mass, without exercising at the surface of the mass a pressure which would prevent the extension of the resulting gas bubbles.

For example, if acetate of cellulose is employed, it contains acetone as a solvent, the boiling point of the latter being w lt'i'degrees C. By raising the temperature to -60 degrees or over, the acetone will be vaporized in the mass of the substance and will form vbubbles which are small at first but then become larger as the adjacent bubbles come to- 50 gether in one, so that by a more or less extended heating and a greater or less rise in temperature, I may regulate at will the size of the bubbles which are produced, according to the result which is to be obtained.

If the process deals with celluloid whose usual solvent, alcohol, boils at an excessive temperature, I may partly replace this solrent by one whose boiling point is lower, such as acetone, ether or the like. In this manner I avoid of heating the plastic mass, when the bubbles are being formed, to a temperature at which the mass would become yellow.

It is obvious that insteadot the solvent which is volatile at low temperatures, I may incorporate into the mass all suitable substances, such as carbonate of ammonia, which are adapted when decomposing to produce gases or vapours by which bubbles will be formed.

By way of example, I may operate as follows In thefirst place I prepare plates or sheets of plastic material which contains brilliant particles such as pearl essence, by means of any suitable process such as drawing, rolling or the like, or further, in the following manner.

If a block press of the curernt type is available, whose dimensions are 1.50 m. by 0.75 m. I first form in the press, by placing in it in any suitable manner the substance containing colouring matter as it is dischar ed from the mixing apparatus, a block whic may be for instance 30 cm. square. I subject the mass to heat and pressure for a few minutes, for this purpose, and the block is then removed in the hot state. It is cut into six equal parts which are 30 cm. thick, 50 cm. long and 37 cm. wide. Each part, while still hot, is placed in a block press of the same size; it is also heated and is gradually compressed until it is spread upon the whole surface of the press, whereby it will assume the form of a' sheet which measures 1.50 by 0.75 m. by 5 cm. thick.

The formation of the bubbles is effected as follows.

' Each of the sheets thus obtained is placed in the block press, and it is protected on each side by a metallic plate which is heated to the proper temperature for the formation of the bubbles, i. e. above the boiling point of the solvent. This operation is performed without pressure, so as not to prevent the formation of the bubbles, and herein the press serves as a heating apparatus. After the bubbles have been formed, the press will be gradually cooled to a temperature below the boiling point of the solvent, and pressure is applied at the same time in order to compress the sheet and to flatten the bubbles.

in this manner I obtain a certain number of sheets in which the bubbles are formed, and the sheets are then superposed in a block press of the same size and are made into a single block by heat and pressure which are maintained for several hours, according to the usual practice. After cooling, the block is removed and is cutinto sheets of the proper thickness,

instead of forming the bubbles in a successive manner in the different parts of the block, I may employ a simplified process in which a block is first formed with the superposed sheets, andwhen the block is thus constituted, the bubbles are produced in the mass by a gradual heating of the press to a temperature above the boiling point of the solvent, the piston of the press being lowered.

In this case the heating will be continued long enough to allow the central part of the mass to be heated to the pro er temperature. The heating must be carrie out in a gradual and progressive manner, so as to avoid all overheating of the outer parts.

it may operate in a more sim le manner for the immediate formation of bubbles in the mass which has been obtained b directly placing and compressing in the sai press the plastic substance discharged from' the mixer employed to incorporate the pearl essence. This method will be quite sufiicient, and the formation of the bubbles is carried to the maximum, so .as to obtain bubbles which are in contact and are not separated by wide spaces. The aforesaid methods are given solely by way of example, and my said invention covers all methods whereby gaseous bubbles will be produced in a plastic mass containing pigments, for instance the action of a vacuum upon a mass-which has been softened by heat, thus forming portions of blocks containing bubbles, which are then assembled by heat and pressure to form a single block which may then be cut into'sections or sheets. a In another method which is also ver simple, I compress a mass containing pigments or brilliant particles which is heated in a press so that it will be made plastic, and the mass is forced out through a slot, 9. die or like orifice which is heated to a temperature above that of the'press and above the vaporizing temperature of the solvent. Herein the sheet discharged through the slot, which is heated to the same degree as the latter, will contain bubbles having a uniform distribution; the sheet'may be cut to any suitable size, i. e. to a size corresponding to that of a block press, and the sheets are at once placed in the press and are formed by heat and pressure into a block which may then be cut into sections as desired.

The aforesaid method will serve for the obtainment of lustrous or pearly substances,

and also for the obtainment of varied veins,-

stre'aks or patterns in a plastic mass which is formed by placing together material of different colours such as is employed in the manufacture of tortoise shell, onyx, marble, jade and the like.

Having thus described my process, what 1 claim as new therein, and my own invention, is:

1. Process for the manufacture of substances having a decorative aspect, which consists in forming gas bubbles within a transparent or translucent plastic mass containing brilliant solid particles, and in pressing the said mass in such a manner as to flatten the bubbles thus formed, this pressure being maintained for a suflicient length of time in order that the gas contained in the bubbles will be re-absorbed in the mass. Y

2. Process for the manufacture of substances, having a decorative aspect, which consists ,in forming gas bubbles within a transparent or translucentplastic mass containin brilliant solid particles, this formation 0 bubbles being caused by the volatilizing of a solvent contained in the said mass, in compressing the said mass and simultaneously reducin the temperature in order to flatten the sai gas bubbles and to reduce the said mass to a compactblo'ck.

3. Process for the manufacture of substances having a decorative aspect, which con-- sists in incorporating into a transparent or translucent plastic mass containing brilliant solid particles a. substance adapted to cause a disengagement of gas at a determined temperature, in heating the said mass to this temperature in order to form gas bubbles therein, in compressin the said mass so as to flatten'the said as ubbles, the pressure being maintained or a sufiicient length of time in order that the gas contained in the bubbles will be re-absorbed in the mass.

4. Process for the manufacture of substances having a decorative aspect, which consists in subjecting to a. moderate heating concurrently with the action of a vacuum a transparent or translucent mass containing bri1- bles will be flattened, in cooling the said block,

that the gas contained in the bubbles will be re-absorbed in the mass.

.5, Process for the manufacture of substances having a decorative aspect, which consists in forming gas bubbles within a transparent or translucent plastic mass having the form of a plate of a few centimeters thickness, in superposing a plurality of such plates, in compressing the superposed plates so as to form a compact block in which the said buband in cutting the same into sheets of the desired thickness.

6. Process for the manufacture of substances having a decorative aspect, consisting in the formation of plates of a transparent or translucent plastic substance containing brilliant solid particles and a solvent, and in welding said plates together bv heat and pressure, in vaporizing the said solvent in order to form bubbles in the said mass, in compress ing the said mass to form a compact block, and in cutting it into sheets of the desired thickness.

7. Process for the manufacture of sub stances having a decorative aspect, which consists'in forcing a transparent or translucent plastic mass containing a solvent and brilliant solid particles to pass between walls which are heated at a temperature above the boiling fl point of the solvent incorporated'into the v 4 mass, from which the said substance issues in the form of a plate of several centimeters thickness which contains numerous gas bubbles resulting from the vaporizing of the said solvent, in superposing a plurality of such plates, in heating superposed plates to a temperature at which they may be welded together, in pressing the assemblage of the said plates in such manner that the bubbles will be flattened and that the plates will be welded together in a block, the pressure being maintained until the gas contained in the bubbles is re-absorbed in the'mass, and in cutting the i said block into sheets of the desired thickness.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

- JEAN PAISSEAU. 

